Ghost fishing is the mortality caused by lost fishing gear and as such, its effect on
target populations is difficult to quantify. This study seeks to rectify that by developing a
methodology to estimate the effect of ghost fishing by lost pots and traps on large
crustaceans (crabs and lobsters). Forty-four case studies, consolidated from published
literature on the amount of lost traps and their mortality rates, are used as the basis of the
calculations. Missing parameters are inferred from existing values in similar case studies.
A Monte Carlo simulation is used to analyze the sensitivity of the results to uncertainties
in the input data. The mean estimate of ghost fishing as a percentage of reported
landings, over the forty-four case studies, is 3.8%. Ghost fishing is a management issue
to contend with, especially in areas where fishing effort is high. Improved legislation on
using biodegradable twine and/or Galvanic Time Release mechanisms has and will
ameliorate the destructive impact of lost traps on vulnerable ecosystems. / Science, Faculty of / Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES), Institute for / Graduate
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UBC/oai:circle.library.ubc.ca:2429/16380 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Poon, Amy Min-Yee |
| Source Sets | University of British Columbia |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, Thesis/Dissertation |
| Rights | For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use. |
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